


Blades and Hearts

by twilightstarr



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Chapter 9-5, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright Spoilers, Gen, Gender-Neutral My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, Moral Ambiguity, Nonbinary Corrin, Princess of death, Referenced canon deaths, Stockholm vibes, Unhealthy platonic relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 06:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12382656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twilightstarr/pseuds/twilightstarr
Summary: Corrin and Leo try to talk to Xander. They seem to remember the war differently than he does. They don't understand why he'd befriend the lonely princess who reminds him of the sibling who left him.





	Blades and Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a concept from a Tumblr post:
> 
> http://thesinnohunderground.tumblr.com/post/165496474873/so-you-know-that-idea-about-characters-in-fire
> 
> They were cool with me using the idea. Naturally, when it comes to angsty deaths, I would think of birthright!Xander.
> 
> I ended up combining it with exploration of Xander's relationship with Veronica, because canon keeps putting him in situations where I have delve into psychological analysis and headcanons to make sense of his actions.

Somehow, the Order of Heroes knew where they would be. Before Veronica could lay a hand on a summoning stone, the Emblians were surrounded by warriors from various worlds.

“Away from the stones, Princess Veronica!” called the summoner, guarded on either side by Sharena and Alfonse. 

“Now, just how did you know that we’d be here? How vexing,” she complained, but then she smiled with the spark of a dark idea. “But if you’ve come to play, then I’ll provide the game. So, change of plans! Why raze these summoning ruins when I can simply destroy you, summoner? Now, let us begin!” She started ordering her soldiers into attack formations. 

Destroying the stones was one thing. They were objects, not people; however, the summoner was a person, and not a soldier, but an innocent civilian from another world who hadn't volunteered to be part of this war. Xander couldn't condone the brutal murder of a non-combatant. 

Maybe he could persuade her to take the summoner prisoner instead. That would prevent future summonings without requiring bloodshed. That was assuming they'd even get that far. Though Veronica seemed unaware, the order had the advantage of surprise and had Embla surrounded, and Alfonse would surely do anything necessary to protect his friend. 

As Emblians charged forward, heroes sprang into action. The battle had begun. 

A Pegasus knight glided over a wave of attackers, a sorceress riding with her and dispatching a few archers who aimed upward. “Veronica!” Xander warned as the pair drew nearer, suspecting they would need to be prepared for an assault. 

The princess dodged a spell. 

Catria landed and Tharja dismounted. “What's wrong, Veronica? I thought you liked darkness,” taunted the sorceress. 

“I'll show you darkness!” she replied, already hurling magic at her opponent. 

Xander and Catria didn't need to yell at each other. They let their weapons do the talking. 

Both Heroes fought well, and Veronica soon grew impatient with their resilience, ordering a nearby section of soldiers to attack.

“I'll curse all of you!” Tharja threatened the incoming enemies. 

“We need to go!” Catria urged. 

Realizing she was right, Tharja swung back on behind Catria. 

Veronica seized the moment to hit them with the power of her wind tome, knocking them both down. “Now you're finished!” she shouted, readying another spell. 

The Order seemed to have prepared a backup plan, however, as four more fliers immediately glided to the rescue. Palla, in the lead, perhaps driven by big sister instinct, interrupted Veronica with a diving slash, which Xander hastened to block. With the two sword fighters engaged in combat, Veronica instead targeted the mounted healer galloping for the injured heroes. Her attack was deflected by another’s magic--magic Xander would recognize anywhere. 

Palla and her team flew to meet the approaching Emblians; meanwhile, a familiar sword fighter and dark knight put themselves between Xander and Veronica and their wounded comrades as they withdrew with Priscilla. “Xander, we don't have to fight,” Corrin tried to appeal. 

Once, those eyes might have reached Xander’s heart and made him hesitate, but now, when he looked at Corrin, it lit the anger within him for their betrayal. Many of the memories from the war were blurry, but he vividly recalled the day Corrin had turned away from him to stand beside the prince of Hoshido. After that, the sibling he’d thought he could always count on had become a threat. It was not love, but fear and pain hidden beneath the rage that made Xander’s hand tremble on the hilt, though he'd hate to admit it. “You're not going to persuade me to surrender, little prince. The summoner will have to think of a better plan,” replied Xander, relying on his practiced steady crown prince voice. 

“This was _our_ choice,” Corrin corrected. “I just don't understand, brother. She forces heroes to fight for her against their will. Why would you want to help her?” 

Xander had told the summoner once that he could sense Veronica’s loneliness. Perhaps that sounded vague and inadequate, but it was a complicated and even awkward thing to fully explain. The summoner had never seen the way the princess of Embla acted outside of battle. She treated the warriors under her command like dolls or pets, calling them “good heroes” or “bad heroes”, insisting on brushing their hair, thinking aloud to them without expecting a reply. She didn't have any real friends, Xander had realized. Maybe that was what drove her crazy. Maybe she just needed someone to give her a chance and teach her love, and maybe Xander needed someone else to take under his wing after having lost Corrin. 

Xander didn't want to talk about this with Corrin, though. He didn't trust that they would understand. So he deflected. “And I don't understand why Leo can side with you so easily after you turned your back on Nohr and your family!” 

The two exchanged a look of confusion. “Corrin never did such a thing,” said Leo. “She must be tampering with your mind,” he accused with a glare at Veronica. 

Veronica did possess that power. Sometimes, she was able to convince her heroes that the order meant them harm. That couldn’t be what was going on, though. Xander had been under contract before. He knew what it felt like, and this wasn't it.

Still, he didn't know what to think, because he wanted to trust his brother. Could they really have different memories somehow?

“I have done nothing to Xander’s mind. He’s on my side because he's my friend!” Declared Veronica. “Enough talking!” She threw the first strike at Corrin. 

Leo blocked her magic with his own and countered. 

Corrin and Xander were more hesitant to engage, eyeing each other warily while neither made their move. 

“Attack already!” yelled Veronica between spells. 

“He's not himself, Corrin. Do what you must,” Leo urged. 

“Xander, I would never want to hurt you,” said Corrin in a last effort. They looked so sincere, but it was too late; they already had hurt him.

“I'm not sure I can say the same to you,” he replied. 

Xander’s heart jolted as Yato, wielded with sudden conviction, slashed toward him. Though his instincts and reflexes took over, shielding him from harm, for a second, he feared he was dead. He could almost feel the pain of metal stabbing through his chest as though it was real. 

In the adrenaline of their duel, eyes on the opponent, Xander didn't know how he felt Elise coming out of nowhere, but somehow, he stayed his hand in time, as well as Corrin's with a shout of their sisters name, before she leapt between them.

Abrupt quiet fell as the cries of battle and clashes of swords ceased. It would have been silence if not for heavy breaths and the din of distant warfare. Even Veronica paused. 

Realizing she hadn't incurred an injury yet, Elise peeked from behind the arms guarding her head, glancing between her siblings. Her wide eyes stopped on Xander, and in that second of contact, it flashed back to him--Elise throwing herself in front of his blade, begging him to lay down his sword, dying in his arms. 

He and Corrin had done this before. 

Xander has followed her into death. He'd let Corrin do it, goaded them into it even, welcoming relief from the burdens and regrets on his shoulders, but none of it would have happened if they hadn't allied with Hoshido, and for that, he harbored resentment. 

Suddenly, relief washed over Xander at seeing his youngest sister alive before him. “Elise!” he gasped. 

“Xander,” she replied with a bittersweet smile. She remembered it too. He wasn't crazy. 

Corrin and Leo, on the other hand, still looked shocked and perplexed, but Xander paid them no mind. As tempting as it was to dismount and embrace his sister, they were still in a battlefield, but he held out a hand. Though he noticed a second of hesitation, Elise stepped forward, took it, and squeezed. “I'm so sorry.” 

“It's alright. I forgive you.” 

He might have cried if not for Veronica shattering the moment.

“What is this?” she demanded, confused and irritated.

No one knew the words to answer her. 

“It's really you?” Corrin asked. 

“Yes,” replied Xander. 

“Sort of,” said Elise. “It's Xander, but not the same Xander you know.” 

“What?” All three her siblings asked in unison. 

“I remember the same--” Elise started to elaborate. Then she jumped back as Xander’s horse came forward, putting him between his sister and a quickly thrown spell from Veronica. 

Xander and his steed were a large enough target to break up the green vortex with little damage to Elise, though a good deal to themselves. He had to grab a handful of mane too keep himself firmly mounted.

“Xander?!” Veronica yelled in frustration. 

Then a tree of vengeance attacked her. 

As much as she had that coming, Xander intercepted Corrin, transformed in protective fury, before they could do her any more harm. He braced himself for impact, for the dragon could have easily thrown him off balance in this state, but they held back. 

“Veronica, we should retreat,” Xander advised. 

“No!” she protested, despite struggling to stand. “I want the summoner dead!”

“You’re not in a state to keep fighting. We were at a disadvantage from the start. We should get you to a healer and make a new plan.” 

Veronica huffed in ungraceful defeat. 

Corrin returned to their human form. “Xander, you could come with us,” they pleaded once more. Elise too was gazing at him hopefully. 

A desperate grip clutched his wrist, reminding Xander how alone the princess of Embla was. She would be devastated if her only real friend left her. “No! Xander is mine now!” she glared.

“I'm sorry. I can't.” 

“Leo,” said Corrin, who could tell their brother was considering casting another spell. “It’s pointless. We’d have to go through Xander.”

Corrin had been prepared to go through him during the war between Nohr and Hoshido. _“But not the same Xander you know,”_ Elise had said. Would that, by extension, mean that this wasn’t the same Corrin he had known? 

Leo threw his last attack with words instead. “I’m disappointed. I thought you’d be smart enough not to play into the hands of yet another insane tyrant.” 

“Askr is the tyrant!” Veronica argued. “Why do I keep losing? It's really not fair! Your kingdom has everything--so many heroes, a summoner, a pretty realm that's happy, healthy, and wealthy! Why do you keep tormenting me? I have nothing--nothing that matters!” 

 

“Why did you get in my way?” 

Xander was expecting Veronica to ask that once they were healed and the army had safely returned to Embla. “Elise is my sister, Veronica, and she didn't come to fight. You didn't have to attack her.” Though a hint of anger bled into his answer, he tried to maintain his patience. 

“That little brat was trying to take you away from me!” 

She was jealous, Xander realized. “You and Elise don't have to be enemies. I can care about her without caring less for you. If you just asked her peacefully, I'm sure Elise would be your friend as well.” 

“But she's on Askr’s side. We can't be friends.” 

“Sometimes sides aren't so black and white. Elise may have followed the others to Askr, but she never wants to hurt anyone if--” 

“That's enough! I don't want you to talk about your terrible siblings,” Veronica decided. 

“I'm just trying to help you understand.” 

“You’re not helping me, and you're not being a good friend! You're letting them turn you against me!” she snapped, then added, in a more deliberate manner than the outburst, “I liked you better under contract.”

Was that a threat? Veronica was prone to overreacting when she was frustrated. Maybe she didn't really mean it and would forget all about it tomorrow. 

Still, the thought of completely losing autonomy again was unnerving enough to silence him. 

_“Tyrant,”_ echoed Leo’s voice in Xander’s head. 

His brother was worried about him, and Xander still wanted to trust Leo's judgement, but he also still wanted to believe Veronica was, at heart, a lost girl in need of guidance. He still didn't know what to think.

**Author's Note:**

> The way I've interpreted Veronica's quirks as her having trouble with social and emotional complexity, I think I may have written her as autistic. I'm not autistic myself though, and have only just started researching it, so I don't want to risk inaccurately explicitly tagging her as such or giving the impression that I think autistic = evil. Input on this from anyone on the autism spectrum would be appreciated.


End file.
